Live Oak Hounds held their annual U.S. Pony Club Weekend, hosted by Daphne and Martin Wood III, Joint Masters of the Live Oak Hounds in Monticello, Florida, Oct. 8-10. The USPC members stayed at the Merrily Plantation Shooting Lodge, hunted with the Live Oak Hounds twice, enjoyed a kennel visit led by Huntsman Sam Andrews and a stable tour by Nicola Watson. In addition, USPC foxhunting committee member Alex Weiss offered instruction about mounted hunting with hounds. Abby Watt, Live Oak Hounds Pony Club secretary and organizer, attended the event weekend 32 years ago. This year, she was joined by her daughters Ada and Mary, who rode for the first time.
The Woods actively promote mounted hunting with hounds with youth. They sponsor the Live Oak Hounds USPC Foxhunting Challenge Award. The award is designed to encourage Pony Club members who do not regularly hunt to try the sport, to reward those members who do hunt on a regular basis and act as mentors to the younger and less-experienced Pony Club members. Awards go to six Pony Clubs/Centers who regularly take the greatest percentage (based on total number of members) of active Pony Club members hunting, based on the required number of hunts needed by each member.
Right: The smallest child was on a lead line in a special Pony Club third flight.
Left: USPC members enjoy the second day of hunting at the Live Oak Hounds Pony Club Weekend hosted for decades by Joint Masters Daphne and Marty Wood.
Photos by Abbey Watt